Qatari Premier Attends Dinner Banquet Hosted by Ethiopian Counterpart

Addis Ababa, November 04 (QNA) - Ethiopia's Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn hosted today a dinner banquet at the presidential palace in honour of HE Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani, and their Excellencies members of the official delegation accompanying him. The banquet was attended by a number of Ministers and senior Ethiopian officials and Arab ambassadors to Ethiopia. In a speech during the function, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al Thani conveyed greetings of HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, HH the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and the Qatari people .. HE the Premier also expressed his thanks for the hospitality and warm reception .. stressing future cooperation between the two countries in economy, labor, tourism and agriculture fields. He noted that there was a misunderstanding between the two sides but it was agreed to end it and that there is no problem between the two countries. HE the Premier and Foreign Minister said: "During a meeting with the late Meles Zenawi in London in February this year, I promised to visit Ethiopia .. and now I'm on this trip, which was delayed because of circumstances" . For his part, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia welcomed the visit by HE the Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Than, which he said is the first visit by an Arab official to Ethiopia after he took office, to be a visit from of the State of Qatar. He said : "We appreciate the Qatari role in achieving peace and stability in the region and the Horn of Africa" and in the region in general , especially in Sudan .. and we followed Qatar's efforts to achieve peace in Darfur," he added .. He reiterated his country's and Africa support for these efforts. He pointed to the important role of the State of Qatar, stressing that the cooperation between the two sides has positive impact on the peace process at regional and international levels .. stressing that there is full cooperation in a number of areas, and there is a desire between the two countries to develop and strengthen them.(QNA)